Guide to buying cheap Android phones: specs and tips

It’s very easy to get caught up in low price-tags and end up
with a bad phone. This can lead to you making inaccurate judgements about the
quality of certain manufacturers, or of the Android ecosystem as a whole.

There are three main things you should check when looking
for at a super-affordable Android:

Its default OS version

Its hardware specs

Its total price

This helps cut through the incredible number of cheap
Android smartphones out there, some of which you definitely want to avoid.

NOTE: We’ve given a lot of general information in this guide
as a way to future-proof it. Check the dates of the last time the article was
updated before absorbing the more specific information.

Android version

When grabbing a cheap smartphone, you want to make sure that
it was released recently. The easiest way to do this is check its default OS
version. Try to go no further than two updates back. If you do
you’ll find yourself not only with weak hardware, but an OS that’s inefficient
and inelegant compared to modern standards.

Whatever OS version you get will probably be what you have for as long
as your device lives. Cheaper Androids rarely see OS updates.

Android versions each have two names: one is its number, the
other is an alphabetically-dictated sugary food. Try looking up a timeline of
Android versions if you’re uncertain.

Currently the most recent version is Android 4.4 KitKat,
but 4.3 is still a decent option.

Absolutely avoid any phone whose Android version starts with
“2”. It’s surprising and terrifying how many Android 2.3 Gingerbread devices
are still kicking around on cheap-deals websites.

The Specs

It’s usually a good option when looking for a cheap device
to go for something that would have been pricey two years ago in terms of its
hardware.

This rule doesn’t apply to on-board storage; most cheap
phones really cut corners here. If you want decent storage make sure the phone has a microSD slot for expansion.

With today’s specs that roughly outlines an absolute minimum of:

A dual-core 1GHz processor

5MP camera

Display resolution of 480x800 (WVGA)

1GB of RAM

microSD slot (max often only 32GB for these models, but the more the merrier)

If you like you can sacrifice on the camera, but the processor
and especially RAM are important for satisfactory handling of a modern OS.

Be wary of pricing tricks

Always compare prices of a phone or any gadget from multiple sources. Just because a phone may look cheap
doesn’t mean it’s a good deal, you could find it for anything up to 30% cheaper
somewhere else.

Make sure you check for hidden charges. Some of the more
questionable sites around the web will add on extra fees for warranty, a wall
charger, and especially for delivery. Double-check the final cost of the
product once you get to the online checkout screen.

Usually you can find an Android smartphone that fits the
descriptions above for between $129 and $249 somewhere online, but prices are
prone to vary. And don't forget: reading
reviews always helps.

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